Two Ships Trapped In Antarctic Ice For Weeks Finally Break Free

his image taken by
expedition doctor Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com
on January 2, 2014 shows passengers on the MV Akademik Shokalskiy
watching as a helicopter from the nearby Chinese icebreaker Xue
Long picks up passengers.Andrew
Peacock/footloosefotography.com/AFP

Two ships that had been stuck in Antarctica have finally broken
free of surrounding ice due to favorable
change in wind conditions, according to a release from
the U.S. Coast Guard.

The
Coast Guard, which had dispatched its Polar Star icebreaker
to rescue the two ships — Russian-flagged Akademik
Shokalskiy, trapped since Christmas Eve, and Chinese-flagged Xue
Long, an icebreaker attempting rescue — said in a statement it
had received confirmation they were free from Australian Maritime
Safety Authority at 2 p.m. Pacific time.

“I am
exceptionally proud of my crew in their ability to respond to
this mission,” said Capt. George Pellissier, commanding officer
of the Polar Star, in the statement. “I, too, am extremely
pleased that both the Akademik Shokalskiy and the Xue Long have
been able to work their way free of the ice. We’re now looking
forward to continuing on our primary mission of resupplying
McMurdo Station."

The Akademik Shokalskiy had been trapped in unusually deep ice
since Christmas Eve with scientists, journalists, tourists and
crew members on board. A helicopter ferried the ship's 52
passengers to an Australian icebreaker last week.

While stuck,
passengers on the Russian research ship tried to keep busy with
movies, photography, and dinner and drinks on New Year's,
according to Reuters. Two journalists shared much of
what it was like over social media.